Applegater Spring 2018
13
GRAPE TALK
Applegate Valley
vintners experiment
with wine varietals
BY DEBBIE TOLLEFSON
The list of grape varieties planted in
the Applegate Valley has really grown
in the last few years. According to Greg
Jones, a former professor at Southern
Oregon University and now director
of wine education at Linfield College
in McMinnville, Oregon, our area of
southern Oregon is ideal for a very large
variety of grapes. He estimates there
are over 75 different varieties of grapes
growing in and around the Applegate
Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA).
There are 18 grape varieties known
as “noble” grapes (defined by Merriam-
Webster as “possessing very high or excellent
qualities or properties”). The red noble
grapes are pinot noir, grenache, merlot,
sangiovese, nebbiolo, tempranillo, cabernet
sauvignon, syrah, and malbec. The white
noble grapes are pinot grigio, riesling,
sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, moscato,
gewurztraminer, semillon, viognier, and
chardonnay. According to my research,
nebbiolo (red) and semillon (white) are the
only varieties of noble grapes not grown in
our area. If you know of growers of either
grape, let me know.
Both red and white noble grapes have
additional varieties, a number of which also
grow in the Applegate Valley. Categories
under white noble grapes are roussanne,
which is similar to chardonnay, and
marsanne, which is similar to viognier.
Vintners throughout the valley are
experimenting with new grape stocks
and new wine blends. Bill and Barbara
Steele at Cowhorn Vineyard make a
lovely marsanne-roussanne blend, a
personal favorite of mine. Rachel Martin
at Red Lily Vineyards recently released a
vermentino, a wine similar to sauvignon
blanc from southern France, northern
Italy, or Sardinia, but now grown in the
Applegate Valley.
Albarino, a Spanish white-wine grape
similar to pinot grigio or chenin blanc,
is being grown in our AVA, along with
verdejo (also called verdicchio), which is
similar to sauvignon blanc.
Sangiovese, one of the red noble grapes,
is Italy’s top wine varietal. It is similar to
other Italian grape varietals such as Chianti.
Steve Hall, winemaker at Troon Vineyard,
has created award-winning wines blending
sangiovese with mourvèdre and tannat.
Mourvèdre is a very old Spanish varietal
brought to Spain by the Phoenicians, and
tannat is a grape variety from southwest
France and now also the national grape of
Uruguay. Both mourvèdre and tannat are
grown locally.
Joe Ginet at Plaisance Ranch created a
100 percent mourvèdre—the 2009 vintage
is currently available. He is also growing
and experimenting with mondeuse and
carmenére, an
old varietal from
France’s Bordeaux
region.
Debbie Tollefson
Herb Quady
of Quady North
is also doing some interesting creations.
His Pistoleta blend includes marsanne,
rousanne, viognier, and grenache blanc.
Herb’s complex Rosé includes counoise (a
variety of grape from the Rhône Valley that
is often used in blending for Châteauneuf-
du-Pape) blended with grenache, syrah,
and mourvèdre. He also has created a
version of GSM, a well-known Rhône
blend that uses grenache, syrah, and
mourvèdre to create a red wine with
complexity, but without too much tannin.
These accomplished wine makers and
many others are realizing that our climate is
perfect for experimenting with all kinds of
interesting grape varieties. The innovative
and award-winning wines being created
from these varietals are putting our AVA at
the forefront of Oregon’s highly acclaimed
wine industry.
Debbie Tollefson
debbie.avealty@gmail.com
San Francisco Chronicle
2018 Wine Competition
— Applegate Valley winners —
Best of Class
Augustino Syrah 2014
Double Gold: Schmidt Family
Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
2014, Touriga Nationale 2014, and
Chardonnay 2015
Gold : Schmidt Family Vineyards
Albarino 2016 and Serra Vineyards
Cabernet Franc 2014
Cowhorn Vineyard
Marsanne Rousanne blend.
Quady North GSM
(grenache, syrah, and mourvèdre) blend.
Voices of the Applegate
Spring Concerts
Our new director, Jenifer Knipple, has launched our
choir into the realm of New World music. Our concerts
will be held in Jacksonville on Friday, April 6, at 7 pm
at the old Presbyterian Church at 6th and California
Streets, and in Applegate on Sunday, April 8, at 3 pm at
Jenifer Knipple,
the Applegate River Lodge, 15100 Highway 238. We will
new director of
be singing songs from Russia, Iceland, and Korea, as well
Voices of the Applegate.
as American folk songs and modern classical selections.
Jenifer Knipple has an impressive background in music education and a unique
worldview, which she demonstrated with nearly 500 Central Point students on a virtual
trip around the world in “The Magic Cape Show” in January. She has been bringing
music into the schools of southern Oregon with Rogue World Music, whose mission
is “building community and cultural awareness through world music performance,
education, and participation.”
Our rehearsals are exciting and educational. We look forward to our Wednesday
evenings together to sing and learn a variety of songs from many different countries.
Our rehearsals take place every Wednesday evening at the Ruch Library meeting room
from 7 - 8:30 pm. Our next session will begin in early September. All are invited to
attend. There is no audition required.
Registration fee is $60, and some scholarships are available. Come join us for our
next year of singing together. And don’t forget to attend our concerts in April!
Joan Peterson • 541-846-6988
For a complete list of winners, visit
winejudging.com/medal-winners.
Plaisance Ranch 100 percent Mourvèdre.